Hawks: Hill seeking mega-bucks

The Seahawks franchised linebacker Leroy Hill this week after he rejected a six-year, $36 million contract.

There has been a large gap in what the club is willing to offer and what Hill’s agent, Todd France, has been asking since last spring. So this latest report, by the NFL network, of Hill turning down the lucrative offer is no surprise.

As club president Tim Ruskell said this week at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, “I wouldn’t even say we’re exactly close. But it’s been good-faith negotiating, and (using the franchise tag) allows us to keep doing that while protecting our rights to the player.”

Hill’s franchise tag is $8.304 million, but the club will continue to push for a long-term deal to lessen the footprint on this year’s salary cap.